Debt, car loan..I am about to give up...VENT

[blessedx5]

We are working the DR steps..... currently doing well on BS2. However I am at my wits end with our current family vehicle. 97 Dodge Caravan.... bought it back in 2000.

 

We have spent a good amt of $$ repairing it over the years but only because we were in debt to the point of not being able to finance anything and have breathing room.

 

Well, we have some breathing room now, even though we have quite a bit of debt still to overcome.

Our 97 van... problem began last fall, out of the blue, intermittent problem.... mechanic couldn't find any problem with it when we took it in. Problem disappered until about 3 weeks ago. Now we have it to a different mechanic....still can't find the problem :angry: Not angry at them...just the van, the situation etc...

 

This van will suddenly drive like it's barely running, cuts off without warning and then out of the blue is fine again... DH talked to mechanic earlier.... he ran it, ran it, etc.... runs fine for him. Yeah don't doubt it....it's an intermittent problem... you can drive it for days and it will be fine...then suddenly out of the blue the problem is there...

 

I don't have a problem spending some $$ to repair the van but if the problem doesn't appear, it can't be fixed and I won't drive it the way it is :glare:

 

I KNOW we shouldn't take on any more debt but honestly I am at my wits end.

[2_girls_mommy]

The no car loan thing is the one thing I have never agreed w/DR about. I think a mtg and a car loan for a reasonable, non extravagant car is ok. A vehicle that runs is essential for us. We drive them until they can barely be driven, so I prefer to get a new one or close to new one when we do so that we can take care of it and make it last as long as possible. We could never keep an old one in constant repair while still saving cash to pay for a good new car. So I would be ok to trade up and get a newer model if I were in your shoes. But I am no financial expert by any means.

[Haiku]

I'm not doing DR but last year we were in a similar situation with our van: had poured a bunch of money into it, still needed more money put in, van was over a decade old. We decided to buy a new car even though money was tight because, well, we need a car. I was dead set against buying a new car, but when we went used-car shopping we found a brand new car of the kind we wanted for $1500 more than a year-old used one with 25k miles on it. It made sense to buy new.

 

A reliable car is a must, imo.

 

Tara

[Tarreymere]

We were at that point a few months ago, but we decided to see how long we could go without a car. DH is fortunate that he can ride his bicycle to work, and we can both bike to a grocery store (we are rural but it is only three miles to a store or a main road). So far we are holding out but I have to admit I really miss being able to get out of the house more. Since my grandchildren came to live here I have four kids that have to go with me and only one old enough to ride on her own and three to put in the trailer that is only built for two.....and if we are walking then I have two who will get tired fast and a wagon that will either hold them but not the baby or hold the baby but not the boys. Don't even mention putting the baby in a backpack, my back aches at the thought!

 

Does your husband have a reliable way to work without this vehicle? If so, maybe you can try to 'hold out' a bit and see if you can make that work. It would be really helpful for your financial plans.

 

:grouphug:

[JFSinIL]

Our Dodge van did this when we were thousands of miles from home, on a road trip :glare: we had the mechanic at the dealership look at it (still just under warranty!) and it was whatever you call the computer brain of the car. It had to be totally replaced! Not something that is ever expected to give out - ours was (still is ) a 1999 van.

[Joanne]

I traded in our Dodge Caravan (1995?) when we were spending a lot of $ on it.

 

I agree with DR..........mostly. ;)

 

We didn't have a down payment, couldn't buy a junker, couldn't wait and still have jobs. Public transportation doesn't work for the suburbs of Houston.

 

I ended up financing a Kia van.

 

We are now down to one vehicle because my DH's truck died. We are borrowing vehicles until my student loan comes in (yea, another DR no-no) and we'll spend $2000 on an old car for DH.

[Kertie]

I hear you. We were actually taking the DR class when the transmission went out on our only vehicle. We didn't have close to enough cash to fix it, and if we'd wanted to pull out the credit card, not enough credit available. We tried and tried to find a way for dh to get to work without a vehicle, but couldn't--thank you terrible bus system. No van pools, either. So we got a car payment and slunk back to class:D. I figured that's what we got for congratulating ourselves at the beginning for not having a car payment:D. I agree with DR about not having one, but when you're just starting out with the process and are mired in debt and no cash...well, we obviously couldn't figure out what to do. I hope you can find a way to avoid it, though--it is an added stress. BUT, if you can't, don't wallow in guilt. Transportation is a big one, you know--DR himself says so:). Good luck!!

[JFSinIL]

I traded in our Dodge Caravan (1995?) when we were spending a lot of $ on it.

 

I agree with DR..........mostly. ;)

 

We didn't have a down payment, couldn't buy a junker, couldn't wait and still have jobs. Public transportation doesn't work for the suburbs of Houston.

 

I ended up financing a Kia van.

 

We are now down to one vehicle because my DH's truck died. We are borrowing vehicles until my student loan comes in (yea, another DR no-no) and we'll spend $2000 on an old car for DH.

 

 

I wish we could afford to replace our old van, or get a second used car - but car payments and college tuition do not go together.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would get a reliable vehicle. You end up spending way more money trying to fix an intermittent problem and if it interferes with your ability to commute to work, then in this economy that is a huge problem.

[justasque]

This van will suddenly drive like it's barely running, cuts off without warning and then out of the blue is fine again... DH talked to mechanic earlier.... he ran it, ran it, etc.... runs fine for him. Yeah don't doubt it....it's an intermittent problem... you can drive it for days and it will be fine...then suddenly out of the blue the problem is there...

 

 

My Caravan did exactly this. When we finally figured out what it was, it was a quick and cheap fix. Ask your mechanic to do the research on it; it is a known problem.

[blessedx5]

well it's not DH's commuter car, just the ONLY car our family fits into.

 

We have use of inlaws truck but due to seatbelt issues in the rear seat we have to take 2 cars anywhere we go as a family. Not to mention I hurt my back the other day getting in and out of that truck :eek:

 

I honestly don't like borrowing anyone else's vehicle...cause if something on it breaks...I would be obligated to fix it...

[blessedx5]

yours had the same problem? Do you remember what it was? DH talked to the mechanic and he sounded a bit unmotivated to figure it out... he said "we will try" but it's running fine for me :mellow:

[SailorMom]

I was told this by a friend when we were deciding what to do about my car...

"You can either schedule a car payment, or have unscheduled payments to your mechanic :)"

 

Once a vehicle gets to a certian stage, it really is hard to justify not getting a reliable car. It really isn't safe to have a car doing what yours is doing. What if you were making a left turn across traffic and it did that? Or trying to merge onto the freeway?

 

I vote for a small car payment :)

[TheAutumnOak]

However I am at my wits end with our current family vehicle. 97 Dodge Caravan.... bought it back in 2000.

 

 

 

:grouphug: We also have a 97 Dodge Caravan that we can't afford to replace right now so I feel your pain...If it breaks down (which it did two weeks ago) we fix it because repairs are cheaper than car payments...I don't EVER want to finance a car again...I did it once when I was in my twenties and that was it for me...

 

When the car dies, I will take whatever money we have on hand and buy something used...If your budget is tight, do not take on more debt, unless it is a medical procedure to save someone's life...It is just not worth it...

 

We are desperately trying to save to buy another car...We will purchase something used when we have enough money to get something better...

[Brilliant]

I was told this by a friend when we were deciding what to do about my car...

"You can either schedule a car payment, or have unscheduled payments to your mechanic :)"

...

 

This is only partially true. In the last year I have spent well over $3000 on repairs to a 10 year old van. That seems like a lot of money - $250/month - but I could not buy a late-model van for anywhere near $250/month. It would likely be twice that. So I am still better off with my old van.

[Angel]

The no car loan thing is the one thing I have never agreed w/DR about. I think a mtg and a car loan for a reasonable, non extravagant car is ok. A vehicle that runs is essential for us. We drive them until they can barely be driven, so I prefer to get a new one or close to new one when we do so that we can take care of it and make it last as long as possible. We could never keep an old one in constant repair while still saving cash to pay for a good new car. So I would be ok to trade up and get a newer model if I were in your shoes. But I am no financial expert by any means.

 

:iagree:

 

We are 1.5 years into Dave Ramsey. Paying cash for a car was not possible for us after just a year of DR and with both cars running 180,000, one of those with a major engine problem that could go anytime, and a husband who travels sometimes, well, we had to have a good reliable car. We used all the DR techniques for making a purchase, but we had to have a car and a car payment.

[AnthemLights]

No advice :grouphug: except that I did a quick google search on Dodge caravan intermittent problem and came up with a ton of results. Here is just one with over 300 posts going back to 2006.

 

http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/dodge-caravan/TQ5PLFI02ESA2UHC4

 

I skimmed through a couple of pages of the linked post. There seems to be quite a few issues with the electrical system in the Caravans. Some of them not too expensive to fix. (One posters solution was that he couldn't use the replacement ignition key....only the factory one with the rubber end)

 

 

Sounds like a frustrating process though to find out what will work for you. How handy is your dh with car mechanics? Maybe he could try some of the easier "fixes" and avoid the mechanic all together. The internet is a great source of info.

 

Good luck and hope you can figure out what is wrong. We are DR fans too. ;)

[LaxMom]

Ooh! Ooh! I think I know this one!!

 

My husband had a similar issue with our '98 Volvo. He brought it to the DEALERSHIP and suggested that it seemed like there was a fuel issue, so they changed out the fuel pump. It kept happening. Then he pondered whether it was something else, and they changed that. Kept happening (like, on the highway. Not cool). About $2000 later, they were saying it was probably the catalytic converter, which is about another $2000... But by that time we were so annoyed we wanted proof before they did that work.

 

Flash forward a couple weeks and he had his (not a mechanic) brother come over with a handheld diagnostic computer. It was the mass airflow sensor. Evidently, the dealership doesn't have a computer that can tell them this? :001_huh:

 

About a week after that, I was watching Motor Week on PBS and, looky there, a discussion of the mass airflow sensor and the rigid, corrugated hose that air goes through that, guess what, over time develops cracks that completely hose up your fuel mixture by allowing air to bypass the sensor. It doesn't happen all the time because certain driving conditions have to be in play for the cracks to open, the fuel mixture to get out of whack, etc.

 

Have them check that. It IS a cheap and easy fix.

[gardening momma]

Our 97 van... problem began last fall, out of the blue, intermittent problem.... mechanic couldn't find any problem with it when we took it in. Problem disappered until about 3 weeks ago. Now we have it to a different mechanic....still can't find the problem :angry: Not angry at them...just the van, the situation etc...

 

This van will suddenly drive like it's barely running, cuts off without warning and then out of the blue is fine again... DH talked to mechanic earlier.... he ran it, ran it, etc.... runs fine for him. Yeah don't doubt it....it's an intermittent problem... you can drive it for days and it will be fine...then suddenly out of the blue the problem is there...

I had a car that did that, a Chevy Lumina. It had two similar intermittent problems, similar to what you described. The mechanic couldn't figure out what it was, couldn't replicate it, and wanted to replace the fuel pump in case that was the problem. Of course, if it wasn't, I wouldn't get my money back. I took it to a dealership, who also couldn't replicate the problem at first, because one of the symptoms, cutting off while trying to start, would occur when just starting the vehicle first thing in the morning. After it finally got going, it wouldn't have that particular problem for the rest of the day. The other problem was that it would cut out while driving--it could be anywhere from 25 mph to 55 mph, it didn't seem to matter.

 

They finally did a computer diagnostic test, which revealed it was the ECU (electronic control unit) that was causing one of the problems, and the electronic throttle control (that had an abbreviation too, but I thought it started with a T) that caused the other problem.

Flash forward a couple weeks and he had his (not a mechanic) brother come over with a handheld diagnostic computer. It was the mass airflow sensor. Evidently, the dealership doesn't have a computer that can tell them this? :001_huh:

Adding this bit ^ because it probably has different terms, depending on the vehicle(?) I looked up ECU before I posted, to make sure I was correctly remembering the terms they told me, and the ECU also has to do with airflow and fuel-air mixing. It's probably the same thing, different terms.

 

I'd ask them to check out those two things, or at least run a computer diagnostic.

Edited June 27, 2011 by gardening momma

[Running the race]

I'd try another mechanic before giving up and buying another vehicle. I feel your frustration, but if you can get this problem fixed, maybe you can drive it for awhile longer.

[fairfarmhand]

I bet there are computer issues with it.

 

You can buy a new computer for a van through a junkyard.

[FairProspects]

Our caravan has done this as well, and it was the wire that connected to the computer, so have them check the wires before replacing the whole computer. It was a cheap and easy fix for us.

[justasque]

My Caravan did exactly this. When we finally figured out what it was, it was a quick and cheap fix. Ask your mechanic to do the research on it; it is a known problem.

 

Flash forward a couple weeks and he had his (not a mechanic) brother come over with a handheld diagnostic computer. It was the mass airflow sensor.

 

They finally did a computer diagnostic test, which revealed it was the ECU (electronic control unit) that was causing one of the problems, and the electronic throttle control (that had an abbreviation too, but I thought it started with a T) that caused the other problem.

Adding this bit ^ because it probably has different terms, depending on the vehicle(?) I looked up ECU before I posted, to make sure I was correctly remembering the terms they told me, and the ECU also has to do with airflow and fuel-air mixing.

I'd ask them to check out those two things, or at least run a computer diagnostic.

 

Our caravan has done this as well, and it was the wire that connected to the computer, so have them check the wires before replacing the whole computer. It was a cheap and easy fix for us.

 

OK I asked one of the menfolk here about what my problem turned out to be. Basically, there's a computer that has an assortment of sensors that measure temperature, etc. and then use that data to decide how much fuel to put into the engine. If a sensor is giving incorrect info (because it's broken), the computer gives the wrong amount of fuel - and if it's zero fuel, the car is going to quit. SO - the key is to figure out which sensor is going bad. Once you know that, it's a cheap and easy fix. You just replace the bad sensor. "Mass airflow sensor" rings a bell with me, but I'm not sure if that was it or not. Will ask again when more menfolk are home.

[joannqn]

I'd check out the computer/sensors people are telling you about, but if that isn't it, I'd give up on the van. But that's me.

 

This is only partially true. In the last year I have spent well over $3000 on repairs to a 10 year old van. That seems like a lot of money - $250/month - but I could not buy a late-model van for anywhere near $250/month. It would likely be twice that. So I am still better off with my old van.

 

We have a $276 payment on a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan with low miles.

[Audrey]

 

Flash forward a couple weeks and he had his (not a mechanic) brother come over with a handheld diagnostic computer. It was the mass airflow sensor. play for the cracks to open, the fuel mixture to get out of whack, etc.

 

Have them check that. It IS a cheap and easy fix.

 

 

We have a 97 Plymouth Grand Voyager (the same vehicle as a Grand Caravan) and it did this. Luckily, dh suspected it was the mass airflow sensor because of an issue with another vehicle he'd had ages ago. We took it in; suggested that; they put it on the diagnostics and Bob's yer uncle, he was right.

 

It cost around $100 including labour and taxes.

[LaxMom]

Not angry at them...just the van, the situation etc...

 

 

 

BE angry at them. They are alleged "experts" in their field and they act like they have no possible idea what could be causing the problem, or even that they may have had a car at any point.

 

Isn't it funny that a bunch of women on a homeschool board - ostensibly without professional automotive training - have thrown out a number of ideas in an hour or so, just based on similar experience?

 

Be angry. Be very angry. :cursing: Otherwise, they will happily charge you (repeatedly) for not fixing/shrugging off your issue.

[Garga]

I see no need to buy new. Our youngest car is 11 years old and still runs fine. We have three cars and they all have over 120,000 miles and are running fine.

 

Yes, at any moment they might have trouble and die, but then we'll go out and get another used car that will last us another decade.

 

First, do as the other posters have said: see if you can quickly fix the problem. If not, buy used.

[QueenCat]

I think a mtg and a car loan for a reasonable, non extravagant car is ok. A vehicle that runs is essential for us. We drive them until they can barely be driven, so I prefer to get a new one or close to new one when we do so that we can take care of it and make it last as long as possible. We could never keep an old one in constant repair while still saving cash to pay for a good new car. So I would be ok to trade up and get a newer model if I were in your shoes. But I am no financial expert by any means.

 

:iagree:100%. I think it is more wasteful to continually repair an old car, if the repairs come close to car payments or if the car is unreliable.

[kalanamak]

 

This van will suddenly drive like it's barely running, cuts off without warning and then out of the blue is fine again... DH talked to mechanic earlier.... he ran it, ran it, etc.... runs fine for him. Yeah don't doubt it....it's an intermittent problem... you can drive it for days and it will be fine...then suddenly out of the blue the problem is there...

 

 

 

I'm assuming they checked the fuel pump (if it has one) and filter. Sounds a little like a gas supply problem. The other thing in older cars is rust in the exhaust system giving intermittent blockages. Air can't get out, then new air can't get in. Although it wasn't intermittent, my truck suddenly has poor power and high gas consumption. Dealer and "best guy in town" couldn't figure it out. 800 dollars later, hubby looked down and noticed the tail pipe was crimped, and fixed it all with a pry bar. HTH.

 

Also, search the web for quirks of the model.

 

:grouphug:

[Peela]

I would keep going with it and eventually you will get to the problem. Do you have roadside assistance care over there? Here we pay $150 a year and whenever a car breaks down we get free roadside assistance and towing- they can often find the problem too.

We have never had a car loan- with a car each we just make it work if one car breaks down.

The other thing is- you cant really sell a car knowing it could break down on the buyer at any time.

Dh recently had a car to sell that was really giving him trouble. He wanted to get rid of it because it was a money pit. The first time someone came to look at it, he took it for a quick drive and it broke down around the corner. The roadside assistance people however found the problem that the mechanics had not been able to find- twice- water in the distributor- and then the car sold and the buyer was not getting a bad deal- a car that would break down randomly.

But, you do whatever you have to do. We have never considered a car loan- but then, we have no problem with college loans, because we dont have to pay them back till we earn a certain amount of money.

[Joanne]

I wanted to add one thing.

 

I know you are venting. And I've been there! The van I turned in had not had a/c in a long time (I live in Texas), had the intermittent stalling/dying problem.

 

But.......don't give up the parts of DR that you believe in. He's got some great ideas and a solid, good program for getting out of debt. I personally don't feel comfortable wholeheartedly embracing any *one* person about major issues, so I'm ok with cherry picking from DR's ideas. But don't give up!

[HiddenJewel]

This is only partially true. In the last year I have spent well over $3000 on repairs to a 10 year old van. That seems like a lot of money - $250/month - but I could not buy a late-model van for anywhere near $250/month. It would likely be twice that. So I am still better off with my old van.

 

Except won't you still have to buy another car when the old one finally does die? Whereas with a new car payment, you have put money into it but do not have to come up with the extra to buy another vehicle on top of it.

 

 

To the OP: Having a reliable car is worth the price to me. I would still buy used unless a new car made more financial sense (which has happened to us before).

Edited June 28, 2011 by HiddenJewel

[WishboneDawn]

JFS mentioned an issue with her car's computer - it sounds like that to me. An actual mechanical issue is rarely so intermittent. Get that checked. If it is the issue look around for a used replacement. The good thing about a Dodge Van is that there are lots of dead Dodge vans out there to scavenge. You may even find a cheap one for sale as parts on Craiglist for less then the computer.

 

I ended up financing a Kia van.

 

 

Perfect solution. We're solid Hyundai/Kia fans in my house. They are not expensive, are cheap used because their resale is low, have excellent warranties and even better build quality. If you go for a new or used vehicle keep an eye out for them.

[prairiebird]

We were in this exact situation a few years ago. We were putting a thousand bucks into repairs every few months, and it got to the point where I was nervous traveling to visit family because I never knew when the next thing was going to die on me. We bit the bullet and bought a used mini-van. (For a horrible interest rate too, unfortunately.) But the peace of mind I had from not having to scramble for a bunch of money for repairs (and rentals during the repairs) was really worth it.

 

I really love a lot of DR's methods, but I have no idea how it would work on one modest income in areas of high COL.

[Sputterduck]

I agree with Dave. You buy a new car and as soon as you drive it off the lot it's worth 1/2 of what you just paid for it. It is very possible to find a person who has hit a bad financial situation and needs to sell their practically new car.

 

I saved up for a year and then bought my truck for cash. It had been owned by a mechanic and so it was always taken care of. You *can* find those deals. I got it for 8,000 dollars. To buy it new would have cost over 40,000 dollars. That's right. I'm 32,000 dollars richer than if I'd gone with a new vehicle.

 

He had even put in a stereo system that cost over 1,000 and lots of racing upgrades. I got an Awesome truck. Also, Toyotas last forever so I will be driving it until it has well over 300,000 miles. My friend's Toyota is coming up on 400,000 miles. He's even flipped it. He's driven it harder than you can imagine and it's still going strong.

 

If you get a good car and look for a good deal you'll literally be 10s of thousands of dollars richer than otherwise.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Sputterduck

[DarlaS]

 

A reliable car is a must, imo.

 

Tara

 

:iagree:

 

and :iagree:

 

I drove a van that did something like that. I had to put my foot on both the gas and brake at times (when slowing to a stop) to keep it from stalling. It was a Ford Windstar though (2000). It never did it for a mechanic either, but I had a sneaking suspicion what was wrong with it.

 

I figured it needed a tune-up (mainly new spark plugs). I had a heck of a time getting them to DO it. The mechanic kept insisting it didn't have enough miles to need that yet. I finally told him "Dude, I've driven enough clunkers to know what a car runs like when it's not firing on all cylinders. Just humor me and pull out a durned plug. Trust me, they're fouled". He called back a little while later to inform me that my van needed... spark plugs! :lol:

 

Apparently, if you make a lot of short trips around town, your vehicle may need a tune-up sooner than a mechanic thinks it will.

[DarlaS]

 

Once a vehicle gets to a certian stage, it really is hard to justify not getting a reliable car. It really isn't safe to have a car doing what yours is doing. What if you were making a left turn across traffic and it did that? Or trying to merge onto the freeway?

 

 

 

No kidding. I actually do those things quite a lot.

 

I *did* have a car stall on me when I was turning left out of a parking lot across traffic once. Fortunately, I had gotten just far enough out into the road where there was just enough room for the 18 wheeler bearing down on me to get into the right lane while I re-started it. There was also just the tail end of a turn lane there, so the traffic I intended to get in front of (and I would have had plenty of time to--before the car quit) also had a way to get safely around me.

 

I can easily think of a dozen places within 10 miles of my home where that could get me killed--and we're quite rural. I was extraordinarily lucky that day.

[*~Tina~*]

My Caravan did exactly this. When we finally figured out what it was, it was a quick and cheap fix. Ask your mechanic to do the research on it; it is a known problem.

 

Our 2001 Caravan is doing this exact same thing. Stalls and sputters every once in a while and went from getting 300+ miles per tank to little over 200 mpt. That's not good with gas prices so high :tongue_smilie:

 

Suggestions?

 

Our closest Dodge dealer is wholly incapable of adequate repairs!!! Everytime we've taken it there we end up with new or worse issues...

 

We took it for regular maintenance and check-up before a vacation in 2003 - our brakes went out on the way back. We ended up spending an unexpected night in a hotel waiting for PepBoys to open next morning!

 

Remember the gas tank issues several years back? We took it in for repair, picked it up, drove a couple miles and kept smelling gas - the darn tank that they "fixed" was now leaking gas!

 

We had the window regulators fixed at least twice on one window and three times on the other in the first two years we had it. I suspect they never actually fixed it to begin with.

 

They claim to be a Five-Star service department - hardly! They are the sole reason we'll never buy another Dodge!

 

So here we sit, afraid to take it in for repair lest it might be worse afterwards! :glare: :001_huh:

 

Drive away, drive far, far away!! :auto:

[WishboneDawn]

Our 2001 Caravan is doing this exact same thing. Stalls and sputters every once in a while and went from getting 300+ miles per tank to little over 200 mpt. That's not good with gas prices so high :tongue_smilie:

 

Suggestions?

 

Our closest Dodge dealer is wholly incapable of adequate repairs!!! Everytime we've taken it there we end up with new or worse issues...

 

We took it for regular maintenance and check-up before a vacation in 2003 - our brakes went out on the way back. We ended up spending an unexpected night in a hotel waiting for PepBoys to open next morning!

 

Remember the gas tank issues several years back? We took it in for repair, picked it up, drove a couple miles and kept smelling gas - the darn tank that they "fixed" was now leaking gas!

 

We had the window regulators fixed at least twice on one window and three times on the other in the first two years we had it. I suspect they never actually fixed it to begin with.

 

They claim to be a Five-Star service department - hardly! They are the sole reason we'll never buy another Dodge!

 

So here we sit, afraid to take it in for repair lest it might be worse afterwards! :glare: :001_huh:

 

Drive away, drive far, far away!! :auto:

 

The window regulators seem to be a known issue.

 

The other issue sounds like a fuel issue. There are couple of recalls to do with after markets parts that could cause leaking or blocking the flow of fuel. This could cause all of the issues you've mentioned from sputtering to bad mileage to the smell.

 

Other then that I would take it to an independent garage with a good reputation and ask them to check the fuel system from the computer on down. Explain all the related issues even if they don't seem to be related. Feel free to mention that the Dodge mechanics couldn't fix it so you thought you'd bring them a challenge. :)

 

It really does sound like an issue with the fuel system somewhere. How do I know this. We owned quite a few Chryslers. :glare: To me there are 3 good things about buying domestics: they're cheap, used parts are cheap because of all the dead cars in junkyards that others have gotten rid of and you sure get to know about cars and how they work.

 

I'm happy to say that since buying our Hyundai my knowledge of cars how plummeted dramatically. :D

[lailasmum]

My friend had similar problem recently on her car (Toyota estima) where the car would die and then be fine. Turned out it was a loose wire in the ignition system that was shorting out, had come from some other work that was done and not correctly re-wired. It took so many trips to different garages and clueless mechanics to sort it out but was actually really simple to do, they finally buckled and took it to the specialist who managed to track down and re-wire the car in a couple of hours. The wire was in behind the steering wheel side of the dash and was to do with the immobiliser.

[Runningmom80]

Id get a new van. I think you get to the point that its not worth putting more money into it. It sounds like you may be at that point.

[nono]

I agree with Dave. You buy a new car and as soon as you drive it off the lot it's worth 1/2 of what you just paid for it. It is very possible to find a person who has hit a bad financial situation and needs to sell their practically new car.

.

 

I totally agree with buying gently used cars for cash, but if Dave says this, he's not on-point with that. What one is dealing with is depreciation on the vehicle. Average (maybe there is one model that depreciates 50% in a year, but it's "life" would have to be pretty short and unavailable in the used car market...) In the first year, annual depreciation is 15-20%, according to BankRate. Real depreciation, not accounting depreciation, on a car, is steeper in the first 3 years on average. I think CarsDirect has some info. on that.

 

In some instances, a certified pre-owned with a great warranty can offer relief when someone is driving an expensive clunker. But if you would go that route, don't throw out the rest of your financial plan.

[blessedx5]

first of all...we won't buy NEW..... I am fine with a nice used van. We are doing too well on DR to finance a ton of $$ for a car that sits in my driveway most of the time. Probablly go with Honda since I know of a non dealership A++ Honda guy in our town. He only repairs Honda.

 

Now just figuring out what year is a good one, with our budget will certainly have at least 100,000 miles on it. I know we will go into this with potential repairs needing to be done. Looks like I don't have much of a choice if we can't figure out what is wrong with MY van.

 

At least I know Honda is good and reliable...

[JessieC]

At least I know Honda is good and reliable...

 

I bought my 1998 Honda Civic in 2004. It had over 140,000 miles on it when I bought it. I took out a $5000 car loan that I paid off in a few years, and now I'm still driving it. Repairs have been pretty minimal throughout the years. I love having no payment and I love Hondas! I'm hoping to get another few years out of this one.

[blessedx5]

also....Dh and I were doing a lot MORE reading online last night (I've been doing a LOT of this lately) The others vans that have this problem seem to at least throw a code, ours doesn't. That is frustrating..If we had a code we would know what the issue is. That is why I am also thinking electrical...

 

The list of possibilities is endless and although each of the sensors,parts don't cost a lot.. when you start replacing one thing after another and it doesn't fix it...well then you have spent a lot with no solution. DH works on our cars quite a bit, this time he did a few things, determined he didnt' mind paying somebody to take a look at it. Sounds like maybe this place (not Dodge either) isn't as great as they sounded on the phone :confused: They hooked it up and let it run yesterday...don't think they even drove it:glare:

 

I think DH decided if they don't get it figured out by today we will pay what we owe, pick it up and DH will tear into it and see if he can replace a couple things that are possibilities and see if that fixes it.

 

honestly I am so tired of this van I don't ever wanna drive it again....

[TXMomof4]

This is only partially true. In the last year I have spent well over $3000 on repairs to a 10 year old van. That seems like a lot of money - $250/month - but I could not buy a late-model van for anywhere near $250/month. It would likely be twice that. So I am still better off with my old van.

 

:iagree: We had an old Buick Rendezvous that never had anything little wrong with it. Every fix was $1000. But even having that once a year (which was entirely obnoxious and irritating) that is less than 100/month if you don't have a car payment. Of course, when the gaskets started leaking for the second time, dh lost it and we traded in the car. BUT - not having a car payment was wonderful.

[blessedx5]

well we know even though we wil have a car pmt.... we will lump that into our debt and attack it with our snowball just like any other debt.

[Sputterduck]

I totally agree with buying gently used cars for cash, but if Dave says this, he's not on-point with that. What one is dealing with is depreciation on the vehicle. Average (maybe there is one model that depreciates 50% in a year, but it's "life" would have to be pretty short and unavailable in the used car market...) In the first year, annual depreciation is 15-20%, according to BankRate. Real depreciation, not accounting depreciation, on a car, is steeper in the first 3 years on average. I think CarsDirect has some info. on that.

 

In some instances, a certified pre-owned with a great warranty can offer relief when someone is driving an expensive clunker. But if you would go that route, don't throw out the rest of your financial plan.

 

A new car goes from retail price to whole sale value plus the loss due to depreciation. Though you are right, the two added together are not quite 50 percent.

 

"So a brand-spanking-new car or truck loses thousands of dollars of value as soon as you drive it home. Whatever money you spent on taxes and licensing is gone for good as well.

 

"Just the difference between wholesale and retail prices is a large amount of what goes away right away," says Charlie Vogelheim, editor of Kelley Blue Book.

 

Let's look at an example. The base price of a brand-new 2002 Ford Taurus is $19,035, according to Kelley Blue Book.

 

The wholesale price of a 2002 Ford Taurus with just 100 miles on it is $15,390, a drop of $3,645 from its transaction price. "

[Sputterduck]

first of all...we won't buy NEW..... I am fine with a nice used van. We are doing too well on DR to finance a ton of $$ for a car that sits in my driveway most of the time. Probablly go with Honda since I know of a non dealership A++ Honda guy in our town. He only repairs Honda.

 

Now just figuring out what year is a good one, with our budget will certainly have at least 100,000 miles on it. I know we will go into this with potential repairs needing to be done. Looks like I don't have much of a choice if we can't figure out what is wrong with MY van.

 

At least I know Honda is good and reliable...

 

Oh wow. I guess I read a lot into your first post. Since when I was into Dave Ramsey he never said not to buy a used car if you are dumping tons into a lemon. I guess I assumed you were thinking of getting a new one, because that he certainly talks against. I think he would be all for you ceasing to throw good money after bad and getting something reliable that'll last you a long time and cost you little. Sorry that I misread you.

[heartosunshine]

I think he would be all for you ceasing to throw good money after bad and getting something reliable that'll last you a long time and cost you little.

 

:iagree: